Remote data centres are expanding as more organisations outsource in-house computer systems to networked computer servers for the storing or distribution of large amounts of information.
随着更多机构将内部计算机系统外包、由网络化计算机服务器进行大量信息的存储和分发，远程数据中心业务正在扩张。
Data centre services range from the actual physical space needed to house an organisation’s private computers and software, to hosting data and applications and cloud computing.
数据中心的服务范围从放置机构的私密计算机和软件所需的实体空间，到管理数据、应用和云计算。
Big names already operating in the sector include Amazon Web Services, which belongs to the US-based online retailer.
已经在该领域开展业务的知名品牌包括美国在线零售商亚马逊(Amazon)旗下的亚马逊网络服务(Amazon Web Services)。
Market watchers say one driver of future growth is likely to be the increasing amounts of data needed to operate driverless cars, which require large quantities of real-time data that will be gathered from and interpreted by sensors inside and outside the vehicle.
市场观察人士表示，数据中心未来发展的一个驱动因素可能是，运行无人驾驶汽车所需的日益增多的数据——无人驾驶汽车需要大量实时数据，这些数据由汽车内外的传感器收集和解析而来。
Some estimates put the amount of information that will need to be gathered and analysed to operate a driverless car at 1 gigabyte a second, equal to about five hours of streamed television.
根据一些估测，运行无人驾驶汽车所需收集和分析的信息量为每秒1千兆字节(GB)，相当于网络电视约5个小时的数据传输量。
Growth will also be driven by the so-called internet of things.
物联网也将拉动数据中心的发展。
According to BroadGroup, a consultancy, the value of the data-service sector in western Europe alone will rise from Euro4.5bn in 2014 to more than Euro8bn in 2019.
根据咨询公司BroadGroup的说法，仅西欧的数据服务业的价值就将从2014年的45亿欧元增长到2019年的逾80亿欧元。
The vast amounts of data being collected have already led to consolidation in the industry.
海量数据的收集已经导致行业发生整合。
For example, US-based Equinix acquired UK-based TelecityGroup for ￡2.6bn in January as part of a bid to increase its European operations.
比如，美国的Equinix今年1月斥资26亿英镑收购了英国的TelecityGroup，作为加强其欧洲业务的努力的一部分。
Location is important for both clients and service providers because of the need to comply with different jurisdictions’ data protection regulations.
出于遵守不同司法管辖区数据保护法规的需要，数据中心的地点对客户和服务提供商都很重要。
Rules on what information can be stored and for how long can vary from place to place and also because of changes in legislation.
不同地方能够存储的信息类型和存储时长可能存在差异，法规的修改也可能导致这种差异。
For example, the EU scrapped its data-sharing agreement with the US last year following the revelations about data gathering by US security agencies in documents leaked by US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
比如，在美国情报机构合同工爱德华•斯诺登(Edward Snowden)泄露的文件揭露美国安保机构的数据收集活动后，去年欧盟(EU)废除了与美国的数据共享协议。
A new agreement, the EU-US Privacy Shield, has been beset with wrangling and has yet to come into force.
新的数据共享协议《欧美隐私盾协议》(EU-US Privacy Shield)目前陷入了争论之中，目前还未生效。
The UK vote to split from the EU is further likely to add to the confusion about where companies can store their data.
英国退出欧盟(EU)的公投结果，有可能进一步加深关于企业可以把数据存储在哪里的困惑。
Amazon Web Services has announced plans to open a UK data centre, its third in the current EU member states, partly as an effort to address sovereignty concerns for European clients.
亚马逊网络服务已宣布一项在英国设立数据中心的计划，除了英国以外，该公司还在两个欧盟成员国各设立了一个数据中心，这是其应对欧洲客户对主权的担忧的部分努力。
Despite the growth in outsourcing data centre services, executives seeking to hire external providers need to be aware of attendant risks.
尽管外包数据中心服务正在增长，寻求雇佣外部供应商的企业高管需要留意随之而来的风险。
Alex Rabbetts, chief executive of MigSolv, a UK-based data centre, says it can be hard for would-be customers to gauge how effective data service providers may be because certification standards are often meaningless and confusing to non-specialists.
位于英国的数据中心MigSolv的首席执行官亚历克斯•拉贝茨(Alex Rabbetts)表示，潜在客户很难衡量数据服务提供商的可能服务效率，因为资质标准在非专业人士看来通常毫无意义又难以理解。
One standard is energy consumption, which is used to measure centres’ effectiveness.
一个资质标准是能耗，用来衡量数据中心的效率。
A data centre may claim a certain power effectiveness rating but this may not include the whole facility.
一个数据中心可能声称达到了某种能效级别，但可能不是整个设施都达到了这个级别。
So it is hopeless as a comparison tool and confusing, Mr Rabbetts says.
因此，这作为一种比较工具毫无意义，也令人费解，拉贝茨说。
Another problem is poor customer service.
另一个问题是糟糕的客户服务。
A 2015 survey of more than 30,000 data centre users by MigSolv found the industry produced low levels of customer satisfaction.
2015年MigSolv对逾3万名数据中心用户进行的一项调查表明，该行业的用户满意度水平较低。
Stuart Barnett, chief technology officer of Wi-Q, an online restaurant ordering service, has tried several big providers and says that technical problems are often handled by email.
在线餐厅订餐服务Wi-Q的首席技术官斯图尔特•巴尼特(Stuart Barnett)尝试过几家大型数据服务提供商，他表示技术问题通常依靠电子邮件处理。
This does not matter if you are just using a data centre for storage, Mr Barnett says.
如果你只利用数据中心进行数据存储，这不是什么问题，巴尼特说。
But we’re running a service and our clients — bars and restaurants — need to know that their customers’ orders have been received.
但我们在运营一项服务，我们的客户——酒吧和餐厅——需要知道他们客户的订单已经收到了。
Being able to interrogate data fast is core to our business.
能够快速查询数据是我们的业务的核心要求。
Reliability is also important.
可靠性同样重要。
The average cost of a data centre outage has risen from $506,000 in 2010 to $740,000 now, according to some estimates.
据一些估测，数据中心服务中断的平均成本已经从2010年的50.6万美元上升到现在的74万美元。
Costs can also be an issue.
成本也可能成为问题。
Some older data centres have been accused of imposing unreasonable fees for routine services and long contracts.
一些较老的数据中心被指对常规服务和长期合同收取不合理的高昂费用。
However, increased competition is also leading to more flexible purchasing and pay-monthly options that can reduce fees.
然而，竞争的日趋激烈也催生了一些更灵活的购买方案和月付方案，这些方案能够减少费用。
Steve Wallage, managing director of BroadGroup Consulting, says: A number of smaller providers is starting to appear with a ‘we try harder’ approach and a customer relationship and support mentality.
咨询公司BroadGroup的董事总经理史蒂夫•沃利奇(Steve Wallage)表示：市场上开始出现一些打出‘我们更努力’旗号、有客户关系和客户支持意识的中小型数据服务提供商。